Kidney diseases by blood test. Urinalysis and its exact interpretation for kidney diseases. Examination by a doctor

Any kidney problems must be studied in detail before an accurate diagnosis is made and treatment is prescribed.

For this purpose, special methods of studying the kidneys are used. With their help, a detailed examination of organs is carried out using instrumental diagnostics and laboratory tests.

Diagnosis of kidney disease begins with a visit to a medical facility. An experienced therapist will carefully examine clinical picture patient, will evaluate him general state, will refer you for a detailed examination or to a nephrologist.

Before each procedure, special preparation is carried out.

In what cases is the examination carried out?

Anyone can have their kidneys checked, since almost all procedures are harmless, and some do not require special preparation.

This manipulation will also be useful for those people who want to check the condition of a powerful filter throughout the body.

But there are also medical indications, to check your kidneys. These include some diseases and pathological conditions. Which ones exactly:

Increased blood pressure levels.
Little urine output.
Frequent urination, trips to the toilet at night.
Unpleasant sensations, a feeling of heaviness and pain syndrome in the lumbar region.
Feelings of pain when urinating.
Urine gives off an unpleasant odor.
The color of urine changes noticeably. The blood content in the urine should be especially alarming.
Low hemoglobin levels, characterized by anemia, if there is no blood loss in chronic or acute forms.
For diagnostic purposes for urolithiasis. Here, kidney diagnostics can be performed in two stages. In cases where the patient likes to indulge in chocolate products, pickles, meat, legumes and offal, a routine examination is carried out. If the presence of kidney stones is suspected, an emergency check is carried out.
Due to shortness of breath, due to diarrhea or as a result high temperature, dehydration may occur. In this case, this procedure is required.
Many medications are toxic to the kidneys. This list includes diuretics, Aspirin, Biseptol and others. After treatment with these medications, you need to undergo an examination to check your kidneys. When the body temperature rises to 37.5 degrees, when the patient is daily worried about weakness and malaise in the evening, it is imperative to pass all the necessary lab tests to check the condition of the body's main filter.
Many diseases such as diabetes, systemic lupus, also require a kidney examination.
If neoplasms are detected in the abdominal cavity by palpation, a kidney examination must be performed.

Before you check your organs, you should find out how the kidneys are examined and what methods exist.

Diagnostics

If necessary, kidney examination is performed in two ways. For these purposes, instrumental diagnostic methods and laboratory tests are used.

In the first case, changes in the structure of these organs and the entire urinary system are studied in detail.

The second option involves studying blood and urine tests to establish an accurate diagnosis.

Instrumental diagnostics

For complaints about the kidneys, when the patient develops unpleasant symptoms, indicating pathological processes in them, requires instrumental diagnostics.

These procedures will also be useful for checking the general condition of the filtration organs. Therefore, there are several effective methods:

Ultrasound ( ultrasonography). Using this technique, you can evaluate external indicators organ. We are talking about tissue structures. Determine the functional component of organs and their urinary tract does not seem possible. For preventive diagnostics, the procedure can be carried out once a year.
Radiography. The technique is carried out using an X-ray tube. In some cases, a special contrast agent for staining all ducts for the purpose of detailed study. This also includes computed tomography. Before testing your kidneys using these methods, a doctor's indication and referral is required.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Layer-by-layer study of the kidneys is carried out using a special magnet. This technology is safe because it does not cause harmful radiation. But such a procedure must be carried out strictly according to the testimony of a specialist.
Radionuclide scintigraphy. For detailed study, a radioisotope substance is introduced. The technique should be carried out only for certain indications.

All presented diagnostic methods are applicable for kidney disease, when it is necessary to find out the cause of the inflammatory process or other disorders in the organ.

In other cases, ultrasound (ultrasound) is used to conduct a routine examination or blood and urine tests are taken.

Laboratory research

Before you find out what tests to take, be sure to consult a doctor.

He listens carefully to the patient’s complaints, examines him, palpates him, and studies the clinical picture. Along with instrumental diagnostics, the specialist gives a referral for testing.

Two biological fluids will be studied: the patient’s blood and urine.

In the first case, its composition will be studied in detail, where urea, uric acid, and creatinine are determined.

For these purposes, you will need to donate blood from both a finger and a vein. The presence of anemia is also determined - for these purposes a general blood test, which is done from a finger prick, will be sufficient.

The presence and degree of the inflammatory process is also determined by blood. Such tests must be done on an empty stomach.

A urine test determines the quantitative composition of leukocytes, erythrocytes, and epithelium. The specific gravity, cylinders and their presence, glucose, and protein are assessed.

In this biological fluid determine pathological formations. These include mucus, salts, fungi, bacteria, and various impurities.

Regardless of complaints or diseases, it is mandatory to take a urine test twice a year.

This measure is necessary in for preventive purposes. Other options provide for special indications.

Home diagnostics

It is impossible to independently determine kidney problems. But there are some ways to detect diseases.

First of all, you need to listen carefully to your own body. The following signs will indicate violations in this area:

Painful sensations of a sharp and acute nature in the lumbar region.
Aching pain effects.

In the first case, there is a suspicion of renal colic. The second option is chronic form pathology.

IN morning time you need to collect urine in a sterile jar. It is better to use white, but transparent will also work.

You need to carefully examine the urine. It must be clean, without additional impurities. The normal color would be yellow.

If you notice a change in the color of your urine or the presence of other fragments of unknown substances in it in the form of flakes, you must and immediately rush to see a doctor.

The most dangerous signal The urine will turn red or dark brown.

Additionally, pay attention to daily norm excreted urine. To determine this amount, you need to urinate strictly in one container throughout the day, after which at the end of the day it will not be difficult to evaluate the result.

Normal urine output per day is approximately 2 liters. For any violations, greater or lesser, the indicators are considered abnormal and medical intervention is required.

There are diseases when urine is not excreted by the kidneys at all. In this case, the assistance of the attending physician is also required.

Problems with the body's main filter will be indicated by the appearance of swelling in the facial area.

This will be evidenced by swollen eyelids and enlarged cheeks. Skin turn pale, and the swelling itself can appear in any part of the body.

Prevention

For these reasons, it is necessary to comply important rules that concern proper nutrition and lifestyle.

To avoid problems with the health of the natural filter, follow these recommendations:

Protein is extremely important for human health. He is a body builder and with his help muscle mass increases. But protein also provokes the formation of kidney stones, and therefore it is recommended to limit its consumption.
Any bad habits have a detrimental effect on the condition of the entire body. This is especially true for the kidneys when it comes to alcohol, or more precisely, beer. This drink puts a lot of stress on the organ, resulting in serious inflammation.
You need to eat more of those foods that have a positive effect on the organ. These include fresh berries, fruits and vegetables. You can eat them fresh, you can cook from them healthy dishes. The main thing is not to overdo it with sugar.
Be sure to follow a drinking regime, since dehydration of the body negatively affects the functioning of organs. With absence chronic diseases kidneys, the recommended fluid intake should be equal to 1.5 liters. If the patient suffers from dehydration, diarrhea, vomiting, or is in a hot climate, this volume is increased. Purified still water is preferred as a liquid.
Avoid colds and hypothermia. Both options put stress on the kidneys.
Any physical activity will only do good. The ideal option would be to play sports. But that's it physical exercise must be dosed. Heavy training should be avoided. An ideal activity would be yoga and Pilates.
It is necessary to carry out measures to strengthen immune defense body. For these purposes, they often walk on fresh air, eat right, harden up.
Avoid overeating, especially before bed. Monitor your body weight.

If you have any problems with your kidneys, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Modern diagnostic methods will allow you to quickly determine the cause of unpleasant symptoms.

It is better to prevent any disease, so be sure to take preventive measures.

Useful video

Therapy for kidney and urinary tract diseases is always carried out after a series of laboratory and instrumental methods diagnostics that allow the doctor to identify the slightest violations in the functioning of the pelvic organs, make a final diagnosis, prescribe necessary treatment. The results of a blood test for kidney disease are considered important in making a final diagnosis, helping to identify the disease, monitor its dynamics, and the effectiveness of the therapy.

For kidney diseases the most important indicators are a urine test and a blood test, which are recommended to be taken both during the initial visit to the doctor, and during and after treatment. To get the most accurate results, to exclude their distortion, it is important to know what tests need to be taken and how to prepare for them.

This comprehensive study blood, allowing to diagnose pathologies of the urinary organs, assess the functioning internal organs, identify deviations. They include a general and biochemical blood test that determines possible inflammatory processes, the level of three main indicators: creatinine, urea, uric acid. If a person has a history of kidney disease, the levels of these components will be increased or decreased, allowing the doctor to conduct a more in-depth examination.

Sick kidneys are not able to remove these substances from the body, so their concentration will be increased. When organs are damaged, their tissues, which are responsible for cleansing the blood of toxic compounds, are damaged. In case of pathological processes in urine excretory system Nitrogenous substances will accumulate in the kidney tissues:

urea;
creatinine;
uric acid.

A general blood test, unlike a biochemical one, is less informative, but its results still make it possible to diagnose inflammatory processes in the body and determine the acute or chronic phase of diseases.

The main indicators of a general blood test are:

leukocytes;
red blood cells;
ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate).

Each of the indicators is an indicator pathological process in the human body.

A blood test allows you to identify specific enzymes in the plasma that have Negative influence for kidney function and genitourinary system. Excessive amounts of enzymes are a sign kidney diseases, which need to be treated as prescribed by a doctor after making a final diagnosis.

Indications for use

The main indication for a blood test can be both primary disorders or kidney diseases, and chronic pathologies:

Pyelonephritis.
Glomerulonephritis.
Kidney failure.
Blood pressure surges.
Pain of various types in the lumbar region or lower abdomen.
Swelling of the face and limbs.
Genetic predisposition to renal pathologies.
Pregnancy period.
Long-term use of potent drugs.
Change in the color and odor of urine.

Laboratory tests of urine and blood for pathologies affecting the kidneys are one of the main and available ways diagnose the disease, assess the general condition of the patient, recognize concomitant pathologies.

How is blood drawn?

Blood sampling must be carried out on an empty stomach from the cubital vein when it comes to biochemical analysis, or from a finger when passing a general analysis. As an exception when emergency situations or urgent and in serious condition The patient can be sampled at any other time of the day, but then there will be a risk of distortion of the results.

During the analysis, a special serum is used, obtained by centrifuging whole blood. After collection, the biological material is sent to the laboratory for examination using special equipment.

The test results are transmitted to the attending physician, who will be able to correctly interpret blood counts and recognize normality or abnormalities. At high level urea, an increase in creatinine can indicate ongoing inflammation in the kidney tissues or renal failure.

How to prepare for a blood test?

To get the most accurate results, you need to take tests correctly. It is important to exclude exposure to adverse factors that may affect the final result:

3-5 days before kidney tests, stop taking glucocorticosteroids and diuretics. If this is not possible, then inform your doctor about taking them.
Follow a diet 4 days before the test, avoid fatty, spicy, fried foods, as well as alcohol.
For 4-5 days, limit your intake of fried, spicy and fatty foods.
Avoid smoking, physical and psychological stress if possible.
Take the test on an empty stomach.
Before submitting, rest for 10-15 minutes.

At proper preparation and taking a blood test, the results will be indicative, which will allow the doctor to determine possible disturbances in the functioning of the urinary system, recognize the disease or monitor its dynamics. The results of the study will be ready in 24 hours. IN in case of emergency decryption is done faster.

Explanation: norm and deviation

For kidney samples there is a range of digital values of “norm” and “deviation”, measured in special units - micromoles per liter (µmol/l).

Normal indicators

For men:

urea - from 2.8 to 8.1 µmol/l;
creatinine - from 44 to 110 µmol/l;
uric acid - from 210 to 420 µmol/l.

For women:

urea - 2-6.5 µmol/l;
creatinine - 44-104;
uric acid - 140-350.

urea - 1.8-5.1 µmol/l;
creatinine - 27-88,
uric acid - 140-340.

Indicators may vary slightly in each age period The child has. U healthy person they often shift smaller or larger, but only slightly. More often, such a shift is explained by improper preparation for the procedure itself.

Deviations from the norm

An upward change in creatinine level is a sign of urolithiasis, polycystic disease, inflammatory processes or result toxic effects on the body. Reduced readings indicate liver problems, dehydration or exhaustion.

Elevated urea levels indicate liver cirrhosis, malignant tumors and others serious illnesses. Indicators are reduced if there is a risk of developing nephritis and hemolytic anemia.

Elevated uric acid is present in the 1st trimester of pregnancy, with chronic alcoholism, with an incorrect diet, excessive consumption protein foods and in older people. Indicators are reduced - a sign acute form tuberculosis, liver or biliary tract diseases.

At chronic pathologies kidneys, renal failure in the blood plasma, all indicators will be increased. The interpretation of the blood test should be reviewed by the attending physician, taking into account the characteristics of the patient’s body.

Deviations from the norm are not always pathology. When making a diagnosis, the doctor must exclude the patient’s physiological increase in enzymes in the blood plasma, which appears due to:

pregnancy;
meat diets;
excessive sports loads;
taking anabolic steroids;
elderly;
puberty period in child development.

Conclusion

Diseases of the kidneys and urinary system have different clinical features, character, and intensity of symptoms, so at the first suspicion you should consult a nephrologist or urologist. Timely consultation and the results of laboratory and instrumental studies will help to recognize the disease in time and stop its progression.

lead healthy image life;
stop drinking alcohol;
Healthy food;
treat concomitant diseases in a timely manner;
take urine and blood tests once every 6 months;
increase immunity;
maintain personal hygiene.

Main preventive measure It is considered to consult a doctor at the first signs of illness. No need to self-administer analgesics or undergo treatment folk remedies. Self-medication will waste valuable time and irreversible processes in the kidneys and other body systems.

Pain in the lumbar region, malaise, weakness and headache- signs of nephritis. Blood and urine tests are the first-priority tests for kidney inflammation. Timely localization of the affected area of the organ will allow the doctor to quickly prescribe effective treatment. Additional hardware tests are also required: ultrasound, x-ray, CT.

What is jade?

Nephritis is a general name for inflammation of the kidneys. Correct definition The causes and type of jade will speed up the healing process. Since they are struck various areas, it is advisable to classify the disease. Thus, kidney inflammation is of the following types:

Glomerulonephritis. The source of the disease is the glomeruli and their vessels. Develops as a result of a previous sore throat or other inflammatory disease.
Pyelonephritis. Nonspecific inflammation of the calyces and pelvis. The cause is bacteria. The disease can be acute or chronic.
Interstitial nephritis. The source of inflammation is concentrated in the kidney tissue and canals. It usually develops after taking certain types of antibiotics,
Radiation nephritis. Appears due to exposure to radiation during treatment oncological diseases or during prolonged stay in an area of increased radiation.

Nephritis can provoke both a decrease in immunity and an unhealthy lifestyle.

Kidney inflammation can be caused by various factors, but we can highlight a number common reasons occurrence. First of all - decreased immunity of the body, lack of vitamins, overwork, partial or complete hypothermia. Stable functioning of organs occurs with normal blood flow, which decreases due to a sharp drop in temperature. An unhealthy lifestyle (smoking and alcoholism), diabetes mellitus, and oncology can also increase the risk of disease. Inflammation of the kidneys can also be the result of previous illnesses: tonsillitis, scarlet fever, acute respiratory viral infection, flu.

Examination: symptoms of kidney inflammation

To recognize nephritis, it is necessary to carry out several sequential actions, and the presence of the following symptoms in a patient helps in deciding how to determine inflammation in the kidneys. The disease begins with a feeling of fatigue and decreased performance, it is felt nagging pain in the lower back. Metabolic disorders in the kidneys provoke swelling of the body (most noticeable on the face). With nephritis, the daily urine output decreases, which increases blood pressure (because of this, some patients suffer from headaches). Then the doctor asks the patient about the possible preconditions for the illness: was there any hypothermia, what illness did you have recently, what medications are/have been taken. This concludes the initial examination.

Laboratory research

Information obtained during initial examination, is not complete and exhaustive. It only allows you to determine the presence of a harmful process. To determine the type of disease it is necessary to carry out laboratory research urine ( general analysis and according to Nechiporenko) and blood (general and biochemical analysis). These studies are considered basic and mandatory. Based on the results obtained, further treatment is possible.

Urine tests for kidney nephritis

Since the kidneys are an organ of the urinary system, the state of urine is therefore considered informative for diagnosing the disease. For nephritis, two types of analysis are carried out: general and Nechiporenko. The fluid should be donated in the first half of the day when you first visit the toilet after sleep. For the results to be reliable, you need to follow a number of rules: do not eat brightly colored vegetables and fruits, do not drink diuretics, and be sure to wash your genitals.

The Necheporenko test will show the presence of blood and proteins in the urine.

For a more thorough analysis of the content of blood cells and proteins in the urine, a Nechiporenko analysis is prescribed. You need to donate the liquid following the same rules as for the general analysis. The results will help you draw several conclusions, depending on which indicator deviated from the norm:

If the content of leukocytes is increased, this indicates the body’s fight against infection. A type of kidney disease is pyelonephritis.
If there is an excess of the norm of red blood cells, then this indicates acute or chronic glomerulonephritis. The color of such urine becomes pale pink.
The presence of protein indicates general violation organ work. The most likely causes of kidney inflammation are glomerulonephritis and pyelonephritis.

World Kidney Day is celebrated today in 154 countries around the world. Kidney diseases are especially concerning in our country, where both doctors and patients still know very little about them. We found answers to 5 current issues about kidney health and invite everyone to evaluate: what is the risk of the disease for yourself and your loved ones.

What do the kidneys do, how do they work?

The kidneys are a paired organ, the main filter of our body. The entire volume of a person's blood passes through his kidneys in 5 minutes. During the day, the kidneys pass through themselves and cleanse 200 liters of blood from the body’s waste products, removing them from the human body excess water And harmful substances. Entering the kidneys, blood passes through 2 million nephrons (filters) and 160 km of blood vessels.

The kidneys maintain constancy internal environment body, regulate water-salt metabolism, blood pressure, phosphorus-calcium metabolism, red blood cell formation, excretory, endocrine and other functions. Each human kidney weighs 120-200 g, its length is 10-12 cm, width - 6 cm and thickness 3 cm. In size, the kidney resembles a computer mouse. The kidneys can cope with blood purification until they lose 80-85% of their function.

Who treats kidney disease? How common are they?

Kidney diseases are under the care of nephrologists. However, these specialized specialists (there are less than 2,000 of them in Russia) only see patients with classic nephrological diagnoses - nephritis and pyelonephritis ( inflammatory diseases kidney), urolithiasis. At the same time, the most dangerous condition today is chronic kidney disease (CKD), which consists of irreversible impairment of kidney function. In the later stages of CKD, a person’s life without renal replacement therapy (dialysis or kidney transplantation) is almost impossible.

Chronic kidney disease varying degrees Every tenth adult in the world suffers from heaviness. The World Health Organization is preparing to include CKD in the list of “killer diseases” of humanity - after cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and bad habits. In Russia, the number of people suffering from CKD is estimated at approximately 15 million people. The problem is that in our country there are still no separate statistics on this disease, because... it often occurs secondary to diabetes mellitus and heart and vascular diseases (hypertension and atherosclerosis).

Who is at risk of developing chronic kidney disease?

It is generally accepted that CKD is a disease of older people, developing after 50 years, when the body gradually wears out. However, in Russia the main group of patients is people from 30 to 40 years old. Experts name the following risk factors:

alcohol abuse, smoking;
uncontrolled use of medications, especially painkillers, as well as various food additives;
food with excess animal proteins and fats, salt - especially fast food, street food and semi-finished products, as well as various carbonated drinks;
overweight, metabolic disorders, diabetes.

You don’t have to be an expert to understand: the kidneys are a complex filter that was formed over the course of evolution. A hundred years ago, the toxins that the kidneys had to deal with were the result of humans eating primarily plant foods. Medicines were still rare in those days.

Yes, often very much drinking man could have been enough, as they said then, apoplexy- stroke. It is possible that this outcome was caused by a violation of the filtering function of the kidneys, due to which salts were deposited on the walls of the vessels and their lumen critically narrowed. Today this mechanism is well studied: it is known that impaired kidney function increases the risk of stroke and heart attack by 25-30 times.

Kidneys modern man cannot withstand all the stresses that civilization brings with it. All that remains is to think about your diet and lifestyle in general - whether it leads directly to disability. Experts consider the first measures to prevent CKD to be abstaining from bad habits, reduction in calorie intake, reduction excess weight, if present, as well as regular blood and urine tests.

How can chronic kidney disease be diagnosed?

At the initial stage, kidney damage is asymptomatic. However, disorders in the functioning of the kidneys are well identified with the help of simple tests and studies. This:

general ;
biochemical blood test to determine the level of creatinine (this is the name of one of the end products of protein metabolism in the body, which is subject to excretion through the kidneys; its level is used to judge excretory function kidney);
Ultrasound of the kidneys;
test for microalbuminuria (protein in urine). Normally, the protein remains in the body and does not enter the urine. The presence of protein (albumin) in the urine may indicate impaired renal function. Those suffering from diabetes or hypertension should have this test done at least once a year to timely diagnosis chronic illness kidneys at an early stage.

At the time of the initial visit to a nephrologist, more than half of the patients already have late stages CKD, when treatment is impossible and only dialysis or transplantation remains. However, these people, as a rule, already suffering from diabetes mellitus or cardiovascular diseases, could have been helped by their attending physician - an endocrinologist, cardiologist or therapist, if he had ordered blood and urine tests in a timely manner, correctly interpreted their results and recommended supportive treatment. At this stage of the disease, nephroprotection methods are successfully used in the world today - a complex of therapeutic and preventive measures, which allow you to “slow down” the development of CKD.

Unfortunately, 60-70% of patients with CKD in Russia learn about their diagnosis in intensive care, where they are admitted with acute renal failure, hypertensive crisis, heart attack or . At this point, as a rule, there is only one way out - renal replacement therapy.

Simple tests taken on time are not only saving and prolonging the lives of many people, but also a huge economic benefit. A biochemical blood test costs the clinic only 100 rubles, and a hemodialysis session costs from 6,000 to 10,000 rubles. The cost of conducting 156 sessions per year (3 times a week for 4 hours) is more than 750,000 rubles. per patient, taking into account drug provision— up to 1.5 million rubles. in year.

What is renal replacement therapy?

These are treatments that replace kidney function: hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and kidney transplantation. With hemodialysis (this is the most common procedure for those receiving replacement therapy) renal therapy in Russia) blood purification occurs through an artificial membrane using an “artificial kidney” apparatus. The procedure is carried out only in medical institution under the supervision of doctors, its regularity and duration are very important. Peritoneal dialysis involves purifying the blood by changing special solutions in abdominal cavity patient and can be performed independently at home.

Unfortunately, today, due to the lack of dialysis beds in our country, hemodialysis is available to only half of the patients who need it. In the European Union, the dialysis rate is 600 people per 1 million population, in the USA - 1,400 people per 1 million population, and in Russia - 140 people (in Moscow and St. Petersburg - about 200) per 1 million population.

At the same time, dialysis centers are unevenly located in Russia, and not every patient can independently reach them. Average age patients on replacement therapy in our country - 47 years, in developed countries- 15 years more. Many older compatriots simply do not live to see dialysis.

Kidney transplantation - radical method treatment of CKD, it returns to the person full life and more economically feasible. However, there are more age-related and medical contraindications for transplantation than for the dialysis procedure. More than 1,000 kidney transplants are performed per year in Russia, and 10 times more in the United States.

The kidneys are the most important organ, so it is extremely important to monitor their functionality. To do this, people need to donate blood for a biochemical analysis. Such a study is multicomponent, therefore it allows you to determine the general condition of all organs and systems of the body, and according to certain indicators, the kidneys. Biochemical blood parameters make it possible to judge the dynamics of chronic processes occurring in the kidneys.

General information and need for analysis

The kidneys are a paired organ belonging to the excretory system of the body. The main function is to remove metabolic products from the blood through urine formation. If the filtration abilities of the kidneys are impaired, serious disruptions in the functioning of the entire body occur. Kidney problems may be indicated by swelling under the eyes, high arterial pressure, pain in lumbar region, changes in the color, clarity and odor of urine. The appearance of such signs is a reason for an immediate visit to a doctor, who, after examination and history taking, will refer you for laboratory tests (general urinalysis, biochemical blood test).

Indications

The test will help diagnose kidney disease.

A blood test for kidney diseases is carried out to diagnose pathologies of the excretory system. Using this indicator of blood biochemistry, it became possible to detect negative changes in the performance of not only the kidneys, but also diseases of the muscles, joints, and negative changes endocrine system in the early stages of diseases. The basis for prescribing the determination of biochemical parameters are:

control of indicators in case of established functional renal failure;
definition possible violations in kidney function in patients at risk (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, sudden weight loss, heredity aggravated by kidney pathology);
periods of pregnancy and lactation.

What is included in kidney tests?

Almost all nitrogen-containing compounds of metabolic reactions should normally be excreted from the body by the kidneys. If for some reason this does not happen, the doctor may diagnose kidney failure. In standard biochemistry with pathological conditions kidneys included 3 indicators of nitrogen metabolism:

creatinine level;
amount of urea;
concentration uric acid.

Creatinine level indicator

Imbalance in nutrition affects the level of creatinine in the blood.

Creatinine anhydride (methylguanidinacetic acid) is the final product of protein metabolism. Creatinine is a stable nitrogenous substance, independent of the majority food products, physical and psychological stress. The level of this substance in the blood is constant, depending on the volume of muscle mass. Therefore, the creatinine content in women is lower than in men, and in children it depends on age. Deviation of creatinine values from the norm towards an increase is observed in athletes with large muscle mass, during treatment with certain medications, for disorders in metabolic processes. The patient will not necessarily be diagnosed renal failure"if the creatinine levels in blood biochemistry are elevated. The results may change due to:

unbalanced diet;
long-term diet therapy;
internal bleeding;
dehydration of the body.

The amount of creatinine in the bloodstream may decrease in the following cases:

eating exclusively plant foods;
pregnancy (in the 1st and 2nd trimesters there is an increase in the vascular bed);
in elderly patients;
in people who have a lack of muscle mass.

Urea concentration

A high level of urea in the blood indicates a violation of the filtration function of the kidneys.

Urea is a protein breakdown product containing nitrogen. Generated by the liver. It is recommended to determine the concentration of urea in the bloodstream with diagnostic purpose, to monitor the disease and be able to evaluate the effectiveness of prescribed therapy. The titers of this substance in the blood can change not only due to kidney disease, but also due to physiological factors or use medicines. The amount of urea in men is higher than in women. In children, the renal test is lower than in adults, and in infants, on the first day of life, the urea content is the same as in adults.

An increase in this indicator may be caused by:

a salt-free diet leading to a lack of chlorine ions;
dehydration of the body;
taking toxic medications;
impaired filtration function of the kidneys.

A decrease in urea concentration titers in a biochemical blood test is caused by:

pregnancy period;
a diet with insufficient protein content;
severe liver pathology;
absence or deficiency of enzymes involved in the urea synthesis cycle.

Uric acid concentration

Drink plenty of fluids will help reduce the concentration of uric acid.

Uric acid is formed during the breakdown of purine and nucleic compounds under the influence of liver enzymes. Weakening kidney function and increasing the fructose content in the patient’s diet lead to an increase in the amount of uric acid in the body. With an increase in the content of this parameter in the blood, crystallization of sodium urate begins. Therapeutic measures prescribed by a doctor should be aimed not only at reducing pain, which is achieved by taking anti-inflammatory drugs, but also to detect and eliminate the causes of uric acid accumulation. To reduce the level of uric acid in the bloodstream, a combination of drug therapy With general recommendations: Compliance with all the rules for preparing for analysis will give the most accurate result.

Venous blood is required to analyze kidney function tests. When performing venipuncture, the patient is in a lying or sitting position. As a standard, blood is drawn from the cubital vein directly into a test tube. It is advisable to use special disposable polymer tubes to avoid distortion of the research results. Renal tests require serum, which is obtained by centrifugation of whole blood. The resulting material is analyzed on a special diagnostic equipment. Laboratory analyzers differ from each other, so results may vary. different units measurements. Competently interpret biochemical parameters blood can only be performed by an experienced, highly specialized doctor.